December 12, 2009
Posted by Ryan Graves
Face it, you’re screwed. – from Andy Swan
I came across Andy Swan via Fred Wilson’s blog a few years ago and have followed casually for a while. The other day he wrote a post (below) that might be his best. Every once in a while you need a kick in the ass and this was it…enjoy. If you have comments on the post please leave them on his blog, not here.
###
An endless fountain of ideas. I’ve lost count, but I’d guess an average of 2.5 killer businesses come forth from your brain on an annual basis. Unfortunately, they get mugged by reality and disappear into the vapor of lost dreams just as quickly as they were formed.
Obviously, there are several reasons for the canyon between your “entrepreneurial” vision and your accomplishments:
- Geographic location — no one where you live can code or invest like the hippies in San Fran. Why fight that?
- Debt obligations — Far be it from you to actually take your standard of living down a notch while trying to do something “revolutionary”…..meanwhile, men jump on grenades.
- Muted enthusiasm — If your friends aren’t instantly enamored with the 6th complex idea that you describe without having built anything yet, how will anyone else “get” your brilliance?
- Idea pirates — Obviously, your idea is so unique and valuable that everyone will steal it, take it to the hippies in San Fran and have it built and funded (but not as good) before you finish the sentence.
- Family — Apparently you married someone that needs a lifestyle that ratchets up slowly and predictably in order to love and support you. And, ya….your infant children would be devastated if you put money into anything other than granite counter-tops and a paper thin computer with a glowing fruit on it.
The list goes on and on.
You’re screwed. All that genius and no chance to execute on it.
Poor you, born into the country that rewards, encourages and celebrates entrepreneurship more than any other in human history.
You are an old man in a lazy-boy, so damn comfortable you’re afraid to move.
Cruise-control into the coffin it is. Enjoy.
###
In a related tone, Mark Cuban wrote an amazing post titled, The Sport of Business, that is equally as inspiring and really shows the cut throatness that “it may” take to dominate in business. He surely has.
